Casting mechanism for linotype-machines.



No. 643,274] Patented Feb. I3, 1900. J. PLAcE.

CASTING MECHANISM FOR LINOTYPE MACHlNES.

(Application filed Nov. 28, 1898.)

(No Model.)

STAES ATENT OFFICE,

JOHN PLACE, OF BROADHEATH, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE MERGEN- THALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CASTING MECHANISM FOR LlNOTYPE-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,274, dated February 13, 1900. Application filed November 28,1898. Serial No. 697,629. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PLACE, M. I. M. E., of The Linotype Works, Broadheath, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casting Mechanism for Linotype-ll/Iachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable other skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In linotype-pumps as hitherto constructed or proposed the metal is ejected by the piston acting upon it direct or through an interposed body of air.

The present invention consists in means for enabling the pump to automatically adjust its effect to the capacity of the mold-cavity in which the linotypes are cast.

Linotypes vary in length or thickness or in both, and the capacity of the mold-cavity must vary accordingly.

The accompanying figure is a transverse section illustrating the application of the invention to the metal-pot of the Mergenthaler linotype-maehine.

V is the cylinder of the force-pump; V its piston; V its piston rod, working through the cylinder-cover V and V the air-supply port establishing a communication through the piston-rod V and piston V between the outer air and the under side of that piston. The piston-rod V is Worked by a rod V, which is passed down through a pair of guides V fast on the top end of the pist0nrod V. The rod V engages with the pistonrod V by a boss V on it between the guides V There is a cushioning-spring V betweeneach of those guides and the boss V The latter is preferably a nut, so that it can be moved up or down the rod V to adjust the time of the stroke of the piston V. The bottom end of the rod V is coned to form a valve V, which controls the bottom end of the port V above mentioned, where it passes through the piston V. The mechanism by which the rod V is worked is not included in the figure, because it is not affected by the present invention. The said rod is raised by a cam and lever or equivalent mechanism and depressed by spring -pressure released thereby, such as is used in the well-known Mergenthaler machine above mentioned to work the piston of its metal-pot.

The details of the air-supply to the forcepump form no part of the present invention. They may be varied as may be desired.

V is the air-delivery pipe from the cylinder V to the metal-pot V.

V is the cylinder of the metal-pot. It is modified to meet the requirements of the present invention by being continued upward and connected air-tight with the respective end of thepipe V V is a port in the side of the cylinder V. It is controlled by the valve V, which opens inward before the pressure of the metal in the pot V outside the cylinder V to admit metal into the latter.

n is the usual throat leading from near the bottom of the cylinder V and opening out through the mouthpiece @2 as heretofore. The object in having the pipeV deliver into a restricted area like the cylinder V instead of into the metal-pot V (even when that is inclosed air-tight) is to concentrate the energy of the air-current upon an area of metal no larger than is necessary for proper ejection of it through the throat '0 and mouthpiece 41 instead of allowing that energy to be dissipated over the entire surface of the metal in'the pot V. The cylinder V may be dispensed with, if preferred; but in that case the pot V must be inclosed air-tight, the pipe V being connected air-tight with its cover or with its side near that cover. The pot V is carried upon legs 0 pivoted by their bottom ends upon the frame of the machine in order that it may be swung to and from the linotype mold. To accommodate itself to that motion, the pipe V is flexible accordingly.

The means above mentioned for enabling the pump to automatically adjust its effect to the capacity of the mold, or, in other words, to the weight of metal to be ejected from the metal-pot V, consist in the combinatiomwith the pipe V, which leads the air from the force-pump V to the pot-cylinder V of a valve adapted to normally throttle it and a device capable of weighting that valve according to the weight of metal to be ejected or capacity of mold to be filled.

V is a valve capable of throttling the pipe V and having its body V arranged accordingly as part of that pipe. V is the spindle of the valve. It passes out through the valvebody V, is prolonged beyond it for a distance not less than the maximum play of the valve V and terminates in a flat plate The valve V is held down on its seat V for the purpose of normally holding the pipe V throttled by the spiral spring V surrounding the spindle V and pulling on the plate V from the gland V to both of which its ends are respectively made fast.

The weighting device illustrated consists of a cam V mounted upon a suitable axis V V is a hand-lever by which it can be turned.

V is a graduated are supported in a plane adjacent to that in which the lever V works.

V V are notches coinciding with the graduations, and V a detent on the lever V adapted to engage in any one of those notches for the purpose of holding the lever V in the corresponding position. The figure shows the axis V and the arc V supported by a bracket V springing from the side of the cylinder V.

The graduations and their notches V correspond with the several mold capacities, while the contour of the cam V corresponds with their gradation, the maximum radius of that cam being on the same side of the axis V as the graduation and notch of lowest value.

The invention acts as follows: Compressed air is driven along the pipe V by the descent of the piston V As soon as its pressure in the cylinder V exceeds the pressure of the metal in the pot V outside that cylinder it closes the valve V and holds it closed, at the same time acting pistonwise upon the metal in the said cylinder, driving it up the throat 11 and out through the mouthpiece 0 into the linotype-mold. Obviously the volume of metal so driven up and out corresponds exactly with the volume of air added by the downstroke of the piston V to that previously in the cylinder V So long as the detent V is on the notch V of highest value the maximum volume of air at maximum pressure will pass it and reach the cylinder V because with that position of the detent the cam V stands with its minimum radius over the plate V, the valve V being then free to open to the full before the air-pressure on the pump side of it. When, however, the detent V is in any notch of lower value, the cam V stands with a longer radius over the plate V and obstructs the lift of the valve V accordingly, whereby the air-pipe V is throttled to a corresponding degree, and the volume of air that reaches the metal in the cylinder V corresponds with the value of the said notch. As soon as the valve V opens the port V the pressure in the cylinder V drops to normal, and the weight of the metal which stands at the moment at a higher level in the pot V outside that cylinder opens the valve V and flows into the cylinder, as illustrated, till it fills it up to its own level.

The particular cam-and-lever device described above for weighting the valve may be replaced by any other capable of discharging the same function.

I claim- 1. In a linotype-machine, the combination of an air-pump, a closed metal-pot with delivery-mouth, an air-conducting pipe leading from the pump to the pot, a yielding valve to resist the flow of air through said pipe, and adjustable means for limiting the opening movement of the valve.

2. In a linotype-machine and as a means of supplying molten metal to its mold of variable size, an air-pu mp, adapted to deliver a given volume of air at each stroke, a closed melting-pot provided with a delivery-mouth, an air-conductingpipe leading from the pump to the pot, a valve opening in the direction of the air-delivery, a spring tending to close said valve, and an adjustable device to limit the opening movement of the valve, substantially as described and shown.

3. In a linotype-machine, the combination of a closed melting-pot, having a deliverymouth for the metal, an air-conducting pipe leading thereto, a pump delivering air to said pipe,and an automatically-yielding valve controlling the passage of air through said pipe and opening toward the pot.

4. The hereinbefore-described combination of force-pump; inclosed metal-pot; air-delivery pipe from the said pump to the surface of the metal in the metal-pot; weighted valve in the delivery-pipe; and means for adjusting the lift of the said valve according to the capacity of the mold. V

5. The hereinbefore-described combination of force-pump; metal-pot; delivery-pipefrom the force-pump to the said pot and making air-tight connection with both; valve in the deli very-pipe controlled by a cam or an equivalent device adjustable according to the capacity of the mold; means for adjusting the said cam or the equivalent weighting device;

and a scale indicating the proper adjustment.

6. Thehereinbefore-describedcombination of force-pump; metal-pot having throat and vertical cylinder; delivery pipe from the force-pump to the said cylinder and making air-tight connection with both; valve in the delivery-pipe controlled by a cam or an equivalent device adjustable according to the capacity of the mold; means for adjusting the said cam or equivalent weighting device and a scale indicating the proper adjustment.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN PLACE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. S. WOODROFFE, THOMAS TAYLOR. 

